Stoker.



No. 800,963. PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905,- J. E. WHITTLESEY.

, STOKER.

APPLICATION FILED An. 1, 1901. RENEWED MAR. 25.1904.

qzw. i igwlw PATBNTED OCT. 8, 1905.

J E. WHITTLESEY.

STOKER.

APPLICATION FILED APR 1, 1901. RENEWED MAR. 25,1904.

2 SHBETS SHEET 2.

IIlll JOHN E. W'HITTLESEY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. A

STOKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed April 1, 1901. Renewed March 25, 1904. Serial No. 200,032.

To (all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN E. VVHITTLEsEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stokers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in a mechanical stoker as applied to underfeed furnaces and as hereinafter described.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section.. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section of the stoker; Fig. 3, a detail elevation of one of the grate-bars looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 shows in detail the worm-conveyer for feeding the fuel.

A is the hopper, into which fuel is delivered.

B is the conveyer-tube, through which the fuel is fed to the grate. It runs longitudinally into the furnace underneath the gratebars. The lower portion of one side of the tube, as B, is removed. The opening thus formed extends the length of the grate, or from the front wall to near the bridge-wall.

D represents a ratchet-driving mechanism applied to the shaft C, though any other means of driving the worm-conveyer shaft may be adopted.

E is the air-conduit. WVhere there are two or more boilers, this conduit is placed underneath the boiler-room floor directly in front of the boilers, with a fine extending therefrom into each ash-pit F, which is entirely inclosed and into which air is forced. Draftspaces 9 are left in the grate-bars, so that air may be forced through them.

G represents the grate-bars, or more properly called twyer-grates. These grate-bars difier from the ordinary grate-bars in shape, position which they occupy, and the functions which they perform. They are laid crosswise in the furnace that is, from the stoker to the side wallwhich greatly reduces the weight of the bar as compared. with the usual grate-bars, and facilitates replacing them when broken or burned out.

J is the fuel-receptacle or retort. It is formed partly by the grate-bars and partly by the retort sides I, the several parts being held in place by the bead or extension g and locked together by the clamp K. The joints BI between the grate-bars and the retort sides or walls I and between the walls I and the conveyer-tube are packed with asbestos or other heat insulating material to prevent conduction of the heat from the grates to the retort I and to the conveyer-tube B, which protect the various parts, particularly the worm C, from the action of the heat.

I I are the side pieces or walls of the lower portion of the retort or fuel-receptacle J. (Shown in Fig. 2.) These parts I extend the length of the opening in the conveyer-tube. They are made detachable by having one of their ends bolted or otherwise fastened to the tube B, the other end being, as previously stated, clamped to the grate-bars.

The operation of the stoker is as "follows Fuel is fed into the hopper A, from which it is discharged into the tube B. This tube contains a rotary conveyer comprising a shaft C and consisting partly of a continuous screw or spiral C and partly of separate and ad justable fan-shaped paddles C the stems of which are seated in apertures C in the shaft and may be secured by nuts (1*. The fuel is conveyed lengthwise through the tube by the continuous spiral and is discharged through an opening B in the side of the conveyertube into the retort J by the action of the paddles. The retort has a curved bottom, which directs the fuel upwardly through the chamber J to the grate-bars. To obtain an even discharge of fuel throughout the whole length of the retort, some of the paddles must be placed so as to convey the fuel, while others are reversed in position to force the fuel laterally into the retort. By this improved mechanical stoker complete combustion is obtained. The fuel being discharged constantly and evenly into the retort J is correspondingly forced upward through the retort toward the fire or incandescent coke covering the grates, and as it approaches the fire and while yet within the retort it becomes heated. At this point there takes place the first part of combustion 2'. 0., destructive distillation. At this point also are the twyer-openings g of larger size than those in the end of the grate-bars, and it is here that the larger distribution of air is made from the ash-pit into the fuel, thus mingling in proper quantity with the gases of the coal to insure full and complete combustion of the gases as they pass through the incandescent fuel above.

The advantages of this stoker over any other IIO and stopping it. Also because of the insulatingpacking in the joint BI conduction of heat from the grates to the conveyer and the consequent deterioriation of the retort and conveyer is minimized.

Another advantage of the retort is the removable side pieces I, which facilitates repairs and makes it easy to get at the conveyer for cleaning or repairing.

Another advantage is the location of the conveyer-tube which is attached to the side of the retort J, so that the fuel does not fall back into the conveyer, and also that heat is not readily conducted to it.

No claim is made herein to the conveyer per se constructed as described.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, in a mechanical stoke'r, of a hopper for receiving the fuel, a conveyertube having an opening in its side and. containing a rotary spiral conveyer composed of a continuous part and of a broken part opposite said opening, the latter part consisting of separate fan-shaped paddles adjustable to any poise or position for the purpose described, a fuel-receiving chamber communicating With the opening in the side of the conveyer-tube, and twyengrates upon which the fuel forced from said chamber is delivered.

2'. In a mechanical stoker, the combination of a hopper for receiving the fuel, a conveyer-tube containing a rotary spiral conveyer composed of an outer portion for feeding the fuel inwardly and an inner portion formed by separate paddles so set as to drive the fuel laterallyinto the retort, a retort communicating With the conveyer-tube and a series of stepped grate-bars or tWyer-grates.

3. In a mechanical stoker, the combination of a hopper for receiving fuel, a conveyertube containing a rotary conveyer, a retort or fuel-receiving chamber having a lateral bottom opening communicating With the opening in said tube, removable pieces I the lower one being curved to receive the fuel and direct it upwardly, heat-insulating packing between the grate-bars and Walls of the retort and between said walls and the conveyertube, and having clamps or other means of fastening or binding the parts together, gratebars or twyer-grates having draft-openings and a means of furnishing and forcing the air to them substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN E. VVHITTLESEY.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. MCKENNA, A. S. UHLER. 

